Part 30 – The Puppeteer Behind the Curtain

Maya's voice was firm, laced with urgency. "Elias, who was behind all this? Who is running these experiments now?"

Elias leaned back, his gaze distant, as if debating how much to say. Finally, he exhaled. "The original head of the project disappeared years ago. But someone else took over… someone more ruthless."

Arjun stepped forward. "Who?"

Elias's lips pressed into a thin line. "Dr. Raghav Malhotra."

Maya's breath caught in her throat. "The doctor who was murdered?"

Elias nodded grimly. "He was involved in the experiments for years. But he tried to leave, to expose what was happening. And for that, he was silenced."

Aditya clenched his fists. "Then who killed him?"

Elias's voice dropped. "The Cleaners."

Maya felt a chill creep down her spine. "Who are they?"

"A covert group assigned to erase evidence and eliminate threats. If Dr. Malhotra was killed, it means they're still watching… and they know you're digging."

The weight of his words settled over them like a suffocating fog.

Arjun ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident. "And the person pulling the strings? Who is leading them?"

Elias hesitated before answering, "A man known only as Professor Kael."

Silence.

Maya's fingers tightened around the edge of the table. "Where is he?"

Elias shook his head. "No one knows. After the first facility was shut down, he vanished. Some say he's underground, still continuing his work."

Aditya exhaled sharply. "And we have no leads?"

Elias hesitated, then pulled out an old journal. "Dr. Malhotra was searching for Kael before he died. He left notes—clues—on where he might be."

Maya opened the journal, flipping through the brittle pages. Dates, locations, scribbled messages—each one leading them closer to the truth.

But also closer to danger.

Elias met Maya's gaze. "If you truly want to stop this, you have to go deeper. Find Kael. Find the real reason these visions exist."

Maya took a deep breath. They had names, clues, and a dangerous path ahead.